Football pants



p 1927- M. BULLOCK FOOTBALL PANTS Filed April 1. 1926 Patented Sept. 6,1927.

tenses DAVID MADISON BULLOCK, F CI-IAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

FOOTBALL, PANTS.

Application filed April 1, 1926. Serial No. 98,941;

The present invention relates to football pants and has particularreference to improvements in the widened girdle or kidney pad portionsof football pants.

In the type of football pants to which my invention appertains, it hasbeen a customary and popular practice to provide a widened girdle whichextends upwardly from the waist line to approximately the lower ribs.This girdle is generally widened in the rear of the pants, although itmay be widened on the sides as well. Generally, this girdle isreinforced by padding and by upwardly extending stays or ribs, and whenso reinforced it functionsto protect the kidneys and the immediate partof the back above the waist line.

While this kidney protecting girdle portion is a very popular featureand is prev alent in most of the higher grade football pantsnow sold, ithas always been subject to the objection that it does not fit the playersnugly and comfortably in all positions of the body. This is mostpronounced when the player is bending or stooping over, which generallycauses the kidney protecting portion to bulge or flare out in the backof the pants. This flaring portion is uncomfortable; it gives anopponent some thing to grab onto; and it permits the en-' trance of dirtand mud in the top of the pants when the player is sliding on a muddy Itis the principal object of the present-J body in all positions of thebody-and with out cramping or hindering freedom of movement at thewaist.

Another object of the invention is to rovide an improved arrangement ofelt means for supporting the pants on the hips and around the waist. I

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment thereof. V

In. the drawing illustrating this embodiment:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a pair of football pant-s embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the same with the belt section released.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the belt sections drawn up snugly,thesamebeing shown on a player. i

Figf is a fragmentary side view showing how the kidney pad portions arepulled into place when the belt sections are drawn up snugly. V

Fig. 5 'is a fragmentary View of the rear of the pants as viewed fromthe inside and,

- Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional View showing the belt guidingarrangement, such a view being represented bythe plane of the line 66ofFigJL I The pants comprise the usual. front portion 8 and rear portion9, either or both of which portions can be made up of one or more panelsor gores. The front and rear portions are joined along lines ofstitching 1111 at the sides of the pants.

The front portion 8 has the opening usu ally provided in trousers,thisopening being closed by flies 12 and 13 adapted to be drawn togetherby a lacing 14. In the construction shown, the front and rear portions 8and 9 extendup to the edge indicated at 16, where the fabric is turnedin and stitched by a line of stitching 16". This edge 16 and line ofstitching 16" represents the waist line of, the-pants, in the normalposition of the pants this edge 1 6 resting just above the hip bones.

Extendingabove this edge or waist line 16 is the girdle portion 18 towhich I have previously referred, This girdle portion may extendcompletely around the top of the pants, or maybe confined to the back orsides ifdesired. This girdle portion, in" the construct-ion shown, isstitched to the front and rear pants portions 8 and 9 at the line ofstitching 16 and along a lower line ofstitching 19. f

This girdle portion extends "upwardly from the waist line toapproximately the lower ribs. where it covers the kidneys and the sidesand back of the-player immediately above the waist line. The entireupper portion ofthe pantsiis preferably padded by one or more sheets ofpadding22which line the interior of the pants, and prefer: ably extendcompletely around the pants; This sheet of padding extends from the top:of the girdle portion 18, down past the waist line an'd'over' the hipsand over the end of the spinal column. A short flap por tion 22 servestoprotect the end of the spinal column, thispaddingbeing cut away directlybelow this flap, and this padding and the rear portion 9 beingproportioned to give fullness across the seat of the pants as I shallpresently describe.

The girdle portion 18 is preferably reinforced by a plurality ofstiffening inserts 24, which inserts generally consist of relativelystifi strips of fibre sewed in pockets extending more or less verticallyin the girdle. These stays are located at spaced intervals around thesides and at the front and back of the. pants, being preferably slightlspaced from the central front portion of the pants, and from the centralrear ortion of the pants. These reinforcing ibi-e strips or stays 24 arepreferably located in pockets stitched between the outer canvas or duckportions 8 and 9 and the padding 22. As shown in Fig. 1. pockets of duckor canvas 26 may be stitched over the front portion of the pants to eachside of the center for protecting the tissue and nerves located in andaround the anterior spine and the anterior ortion of the crest of theilium, and also t e lower abdominal regions and the upper ends of thesepockets 26' are open for receiving additional plies of padding 27 whichcan be inserted in these pockets from the top to lie between the outercanvas covering 26 and the main front portion 8of the pants. The tops ofthese pockets 26 are closed by folding an upper flap of the pocket overthe inner side of the girdle and passing a lacing 28 through eyelets 29in this int-urned flap and in the outer portion of the pocket. Anyadditional pro tecting armor or adding may, of cows. be embodied in t epants, such as thigi guards, knee pads, etc.

It will be evident that the normal tendency of the sheet of padding 22and the reinforcing stays 24 will be to hold the rear part of the girdlein outwardly bulging or flaring position, particularly when the playerstoops or bends over, as in the scrimmage line or in play. This outwardflare of the back girdle portion is often present when the player issubstantially erect. According to the present invention, this out wardbulging or flaring of the girdle portion is avoided by cutting thegirdle into two parts at the rear of the pants and drawing these twoparts together and against the body of the player by a uniquearrangement of belt sections 32 as shown in Figs. 3. and 4. Thisseparation of the girdle portion into right and left hand halves isobtained by cutting a V shaped notch 31 in the central rear portion ofthe girdle which divides the rear of the girdle into right and left handkidney pads 18 and 18 This V shaped notch 31 extends down toapproximately the waist line, represented by the edge 16 of the rearpants portion 9.

Stitched to one edge of the V shaped notch or opening 31, adjacent theupper end thereof, is a first belt section 32 Stitched to the oppositeedge of the opening 31, adjacent its upper end, is a second belt section32". The first belt section 32 enters a guide slot 33 cut in a leatherpiece 34 stitched to the girdle. This belt section thence passes aroundtoward the front of the trousers between the canvas outer portion of thegirdle and the pants, and the outer sides of the reinforcing stays 2 1.That is to say, the belt section passes over the outer sides of thestays where it will tend to flex the stays into snug engagement with thebody when the belt section is placed under tension; but the belt sectionis concealed under the outerply of canvas constituting the outer part ofthe girdle and the outer part of the main front portion 8, whereby thisbelt section is practically covered so that an opponent cannot grab ontothe same. The lines of-stitching defining the upper ends of the pocketsfor the stays 24 are extended down only part Way at the rear of thegirdle to define the upper edge of the belt guide which exists betweenthe outer sides of the stays and the canvas covering. As shown in Fig.1, the belt section 32 passes out of this belt guide at the front of thepants through a slotted guide opening 35- adjacent the fly 12. It willbe noted that this belt guide opening 35 is located at approximately thewaist line, delined by the edge 16, the belt section thus slopingdownwardly from its relatively high position of attachment at the rearof the girdle to a point substantially at the waist line at the front ofthe pants. r

The other belt section 32 enters the guide slot 33 (Fig; 5) cut in thepadding sheet 22, and this belt section likewise passes around to thefront of the pants and passes out through a guide slot 35 at the fly 13.This belt section 32 also passes through a belt guide defined betweenthe outer sides of the stays 24 and the inner side of the canvas body ofthe girdle and pants. Fig. 5 illustrates how the lines of stitchingdefining the stay pockets, terminate to form the belt guides around theouter sides of the stays. Any suitable buckle or fastening means 37 maybe provided for drawing the ends of the belt sect-ions together. Fig. 2illustrates the relative positions of the kidney pad portions 18 and 18when there is no tension on the belt sections. V1 hen the belt sectionsare drawn up snugly the edges of these two kidney pad portions arepulled together and generally into overlapping relation, depending uponthe girth of the player, as shown in Fig. 3. This overlapping relationof the sides of the V shaped notch 31 closes this notch and draws theupper edges of the girdle into snug engagement with the body of theplayer. As shown in Fig. 1, the greater fullness of the rearport-ion ofthe IOU pants directly below the waist line will result in this portionof the pants maintaining a full, unrestricted seat portion, and the rearpart of the girdle will be gathered'into snug engagement with the backby drawing the ends of the kidney pads into the overlapping relationshown in Fig. 3. By sloping the belt sections downwardly to the waistline at the front of the pants the tension of these belt sections isplaced at the most comfortable point. If the belt sectionswere extendedaround the upper part of the girdle they would place their supportingtension around the abdomen above the lower ribs, and press on the lowerribs, which would be very uncomfortable and would hinder freedom ofmovement at the waist line. In addition to drawing and holding thekidney pad portions in snug engagement with the back of the player thesebelt sections also support the pants on the player, and hence thedownward sloping of the belt sections to the waist line at the front ofthe pants, enables the necessary supporting tension to be placed onthese belt sections without discomfort to the player. As beforeremarked, these belt sections, by passing on the outer sides of thereinforcing stays pull these stays into snug engagement with the body.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pair of football pants provided with a kidney protecting girdleextending up wardly from the waist line in the rear of the pants, saidgirdle having an opening in the rear dividing said girdle into right andleft hand portions, and two belt sections having their ends secured tosaid girdle portions on each side of said opening, said belt sectionspassing through guide means in the pants and sloping downwardly from thepoints of attachments at said girdle portions to the waist line at thefront of the pants, and said belt sections being adapted to draw saidkidney pads in to fit the body of the wearer.

2. A pair of football pants comprising a pair of kidney pads extendingupwardly above the waist line at the rear of said pants, two beltsections having their rear ends attached to the adjacent edges of saidkidney pads above the waist line and having their front ends extendingaround to the front of the pants, said belt sections op-- erating todraw the adjacent edges of said kidney pads towards each other or intooverlapping relation whereby said kidney pads are caused to hug the backand sides of the wearer and belt guide means for directing said beltsections downwardly on an incline from their points of attachments tosaid kidney pad portions to their points of fastening at the front ofthe pants.

3. In a pair of football pants, a pair of legs, a trunk having a waistband adapted to fit the waist line of the wearer, a padded girdleextending upward above the waist line at the rear of the pants, saidgirdle portion having a V-shaped opening therein, reinforcing stays insaid girdle portion, and belt means attached to the opposite edges ofsaid V-shaped opening and passing around the outer sides of saidreinforcing stays for drawing said girdle portions and said stays intosnugly tting engage ment.

4. In a pair of football pants, a pair of legs, a trunk having a waistband adapted to fit the waist line of the wearer, a padded girdleextending upward above'the waist line at the rear of the pants,reinforcing stays in said kidney pads, a pair of belt sections havingtheir rear ends attached to the adjacent edges of said kidney pads, saidbelt sections crossing at the rear and passing around the sides of saidpants on the outer sides of said reinforcing stays, and belt guide meansfor directing said belt sections inclinedly downwardly from their pointsof attachment to said kidney pads to their points of fastening at thefront of the pants.

5. A pair of football pants comprising front and rear portions, a girdleextending upwardly from said front and rear portions for protecting thatportion of the body between the waist line and the lower ribs, saidgirdle having a V-shaped opening in the center of the back, reinforcingstays in said girdle, a pair of belt sections having their rear endsattached to the opposite edges of said V shaped opening, said beltsections 1 crossing each other at said opening and being operative todraw the opposite edges of said opening into overlapping relation andbelt guideways defined between the outer sides of said reinforcing staysand the outer fabric body of said girdle and said front pants portion.

6. A pair of football pants comprising inner and outer plies ofmaterial, a protecting girdle portion extending upwardly above thewaistline, said girdle portion havingan opening in the rear thereof,belt sections connected to the opposite edges of said opening andpassing around to the front of the pants for drawing said edgestogether, said belt sections passing throughguideways formed betweensaid inner and outer plies of material, reinforcing stays in the girdleportion between said inner and outer plies, and lines of stitchingthrough said plies defining pockets for said stays and also defining theupper edges of said, belt guideways.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of March,1926.

DAVID MADISON BULLOCK.

